Category Archives: Investment Concepts
Street Smarts by Jim Rogers: a Review
Jim Rogers is well known as a commentator who often appears on TV money programs, so his financial views are well known. He is also a highly successful investor, having been a partner of George Soros at one point. As … Continue reading
Why Selling is Harder than Buying
(1100 words) Selling well is equally as important as buying well, possibly more so. But selling causes far more anxiety than buying. These are my notes from an essay by Donald L. Cassidy “Why it is so Difficult to Sell” … Continue reading
Don’t Drive to Work, Save $5,500
Research by Southern Cross University shows the average savings from leaving your car at home and taking public transport to work amount to $5,500 per year for Australian drivers. This amount is higher in Sydney and Perth, where drivers could … Continue reading
In the Name of Rome – Review
970 words I read Adrian Goldsworthy’s biography of Caesar a while ago and was impressed by his writing style and the type of information he conveyed. So I chose another of his books for some holiday reading. I’m reviewing it … Continue reading
Why the Poor Don’t Use Banks
Payday loan and check cashing companies have a bad reputation in the media. When I read a report on them they are usually described as predators, loan sharks and opportunists. Considering the high fees they charge, it has often puzzled … Continue reading
Unintended Consequences of Charities for African Relief
1450 words I once had an application from an overseas aid fund cross my desk. A group of neighborhood people wanted to gather food, clothing, glasses, money and send it to a rural village in Senegal. It had come … Continue reading
Pay with Cash When you Can
A 600 word article in the Guardian relates to the current financial trend for technological innovations to make it easier to pay electronically. It also links to psychological research that shows we have a tendency to spend more carefully … Continue reading
The Push Towards Part Time Employment
U.S. companies are increasingly forcing employees on to part time arrangements. In an almost 2,000 word article on tomdispatch.com, Barbara Garson gives a heart rending case study while noting that: In June 2013, 4 years since the official end … Continue reading
Parental Preparations to Secure a Place in a Prestigious College
Competition for places in highly regarded universities is increasingly ferocious. In this 1940 word essay in the New York Post, former college admissions counselor Lacy Crawford explains the admissions process from the applicant’s point of view but raises some issues … Continue reading
How Government Subsidies Push Up the Cost of Education.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Richard Vedder outlined what he sees as the reason for the parabolic increases in the cost of higher education. The article runs to 4,300 words. I have set out what I see … Continue reading